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Jamie Oliver to Cut Up Corpse
Last week, Jamie Oliver electrocuted and slaughtered a chicken in front of a television studio audience as part of a campaign for more humane treatment of poultry.
Now he’s going one further. As part of his Eat to Save Your Life television show, which airs tonight (January 16) on Britain’s Channel 4, Oliver plans to cut up a human corpse to show just how awful obesity is. Well, actually, the Naked Chef won’t be doing the slicing—that honor belongs to German doctor Gunther von Hagens, famous for the touring “Body Worlds” show, which exhibits “plasticized” dead bodies.
In his web diary, Oliver says:
One of the most amazing parts of the show is when the famous German doctor, Gunther von Hagens, performs an autopsy on a 25-stone [350-pound] man who literally ate himself to death. It’s not pretty but I urge you not to turn away because the fascinating insight into what our diets are doing to our insides could inspire you to change your eating habits in a positive way.
As Whit Honea of the blog Babble says, “I’d skip the TV dinner during this one.”
Posted by | Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at 5:33pm | 11 comments
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Wow -- well, not sure that all obesity and overweight as easily reduced (pun) as it sounds like this piece might make it. It is like showing a smoker the ol' black lung from an autopsy and saying "Look how bad smoking is for you." Is it effective? And some people are more genetically predisposed to carrying extra weight, which is where the analogy falls apart, obviously.
It sounds too sensationalistic for my tastes. And, it just isn't that easy. I think we have been brainwashed into thinking that thin is a possibility for everyone. I just read "Rethinking Thin" which looks carefully at dieting and weight reduction and the fact that the overwhelming odds are against most people losing weight. So, will anyone be scared straight? I am beginning to think it is not possible. So, if that's the case, it is really just exploitive and in bad taste. Dissapointing.
"genetically predisposed to carrying extra weight"=too lazy to get off their fatass and do something. Genetics might prevent someone from getting "ripped", but they don't just make someone become 350 lbs--unless someone is genetically predisposed to cram Haagen-Daas down their gullet.
Statistics don't agree with you. Most fat people diet a lot (i.e. "do something", and fail a lot. You imply it is all gluttony and apathy; I don't buy it. At a minimum I think there is some powerful biochemical thing going on as part of the package.
Of course, 350 lbs is extreme, but I'm just saying that there's a lot we don't know about obesity. (Beyond getting your hand out of the pkg of crisps, which I am pretty sure most people know. But thanks for pointing out overeating may cause obesity. . . Who knew!!)
Gridder, I think what AK21 was getting at is that most people who are fat, even those who are genetically predisposed, have not adopted exercise and proper nutrition as a lifestyle. This is a far cry from dieting and is not the same as such.
I am really interested in the statistics you speak of.
Check out the book "Rethinking Thin" by Kolata. I really found it both interesting and illuminating.One of the basic points is that our bodies have powerful mechanisms in place to keep the status quo (i.e. not lose weight; that it is not a simple calorie in, calorie out equation.) There is biological evidence that overweight people and non-overweight people process food and calories quite differently. I highly recommend it, and she bases her assertions on a significant amount of science.
yes, gridder is right, some people have to work harder...much much harder to make the calorie in/calorie out equation work....but that doesn't mean it's impossible for these overweight people to lose weight and be healthy. Their bodies are processing food and calories quite differently b/c their metabolisms are shot, their insulin levels are abnormal...these are all things that can be corrected with the proper nutrition and exercise.
I second gridder's rec re: Rethinking Thin. There are a lot of assumptions we make regarding weight that are simply not supported scientifically. Kolata reports on a lot of studies that don't fit into the you're-fat-you-must-be-lazy mindset and consequently were never widely reported. In one of the studies she mentions (1970s? Rockefeller University?) a bunch of obese people were admitted to an inpatient program for 6 months, given x calories a day, went to a "normal" weight, but exhibited all the physiological and psychological signs of starvation, then gained all the weight back. I don't agree with all of her conclusions, but the book is eye-opening. Those of us who are not obese cannot understand the experience of obese people, many of whom cannot lose and it's not because they're lazy or have no self control. BTW, you can have a fairly high BMI and still be quite fit and healthy.
Jamie rocks! I think he's just trying to say that seeing can be believing. I don't have a tv and I'm in the USA so I won't be able to see this (but I'd love to). I don't think he's doing it for any other reason than to educate and they do say a picture is worth a thousand words. Maybe it will get someone started on the right track. One can only hope!
Just because it may not be easy to lose weight doesn't mean it shouldn't be done in a healthy, timely manner. Know anyone with diabetes? Have they had any feet/legs cut off yet? How much no fun is that? If it can be prevented, think it's worth a go? Someone I love dearly is on that road and I'd love for them to be losing weight but you can lead a horse to water...blah, blah, blah.
Gina Kolata is not one of my favorite science writers. When it comes to "science" the first thing is to see who's providing funding and what their vested interest is in the outcome. Unfortunately, unbiased scientific study is an exception these days. Now, it's very cool for things to have a genetic component because that means there will be a vaccine, drug, nanowhatever to deal with the condition (even if that condition could be dealt with in another cheaper, non-toxic manner...weight loss for example). I'm not big on conspiracies and I'm not anti-conventional medicine/science but as far as weight loss? I've known 300 to 400 pound people with longstanding weight issues reduce to a healthy size with diet and exercise and psychological counseling. I haven't read Ms. Kolata's book Rethinking Thin yet so I can't comment on that specifically.
Oprah? What'd she say? Fat is an emotional thing. It seems to be working for her and she's tried everything and then some. Looks darn good on those "O" mag covers. If you don't deal with that, you're not getting the whole puzzle solved. We are body AND mind. Overeaters Anonymous anyone? It's the toughest addiction because it's the only one we can't live without doing.
See the below article for a glimpse of dealing with the emotions of overeating...
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/215/st...
The new thing I heard in the NY Times the other day is TOFI (thin outside, fat inside). It's all really about being HEALTHY and not poundage. I've known guys who were long, lean and mushy and instinctly knew it wasn't a good thing and it's not like I'm into gym rats and muscle men.
Jamie is such a cutie. I'd watch him do most anything that was legal! And with what he's doing for the school lunch issue in England and his culinary school for young people? This is not someone who is on tv for Jerry Springer-style entertainment. I think his actions show that he does care and that education is his main motivation. If people don't care for his methods, turn it off or don't watch at all.
Kolata's book also addresses the myth that overeating is always an emotional/psychological thing. She supports this by citing studies that show that obese people are not more or less well-adjusted psychologically than thin people.
Also, fat does not mean you can't be fit, as another poster stated. I work out regularly and many of the people in my kickboxing and spinning classes are far from an ideal BMI, but I would wager that their fitness is far superior to what one would think by looking at them.
You know, my guess is that most people would find the autopsy of a thin, fit person pretty gross and hard to watch.
sjz, I have diabetes, and I still have all my appendages and intend to keep them. Thanks for the concern.
Gunther Von Hagens Body Worlds is coming to Baltimore. Body Worlds 2 & The Brain--Our Three Pound Gem starts at The Maryland Science Center on February 2nd for a limited engagement. Don’t miss the original exhibition of real human bodies seen by nearly 25 million people throughout the world. The exhibition will feature one of the more noted pieces, Horse and Rider. Visit http://www.baltimore.org/winter/bodyworlds.php for more info and tickets. If you're coming into Baltimore from out of town, you can find great hotel deals starting at $99 per night at http://www.baltimore.org/winter.